The NBA league office must be salivating over the TV ratings for the NBA Finals.
Monday’s Game 3 broadcast between the Knicks and the Spurs was the most-watched NBA Finals Game 3 in nearly three decades, averaging 23.8 million viewers, data released by Nelsen showed on Wednesday.
Viewership for the game peaked late in the fourth quarter with 26.3 million people tuning in.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 goes up for a shot against San Antonio Spurs #5 during Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The last time that more people tuned in for a Game 3 in the NBA Finals was in 1998, when the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls were closing in on a second three-peat.
It also holds the distinction of being the most-watched television program on broadcast TV since the Super Bowl in February, when the Seahawks defeated the Patriots.
The NBA Finals are averaging 19.1 million viewers through the first three games of the series, which makes it the second-most-watched following ABC/ESPN taking over coverage of the championship round in 2003.
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The ratings also represent a massive increase from last year’s finals between the Thunder and Pacers, seeing a 114% uptick in viewership this year.
The massive ratings shouldn’t be a surprise with the Knicks back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and the Spurs having the biggest name – literally and figuratively – in Victor Wembanyama.
Game 4 on Wednesday night will surely draw more big numbers for broadcasters with the Spurs eying a chance to even the series up before it shifts back to San Antonio, and the Knicks looking to put their Western Conference foe on the ropes.
